大乘法苑義林章 5.7

5.7

Fourth, regarding establishment and omission. Question: In which fruit are [the noble persons of] faith-emancipation, view-attainment, and bodily realization established? Answer: Faith-emancipation and view-attainment are precisely the follower by faith and the follower by Dharma. When they proceed to the preceding three fruits, whether candidate or fruit, they are established as faith-emancipation and view-attainment; in the third fruit, [such a person] is a bodily realization. Question: What is the distinction between these two, faith-emancipation and view-attainment? Answer: Faith-emancipation is dull; view-attainment is sharp. Through transformation from following faith, one is named 'faith-emancipation'; through transformation from following the Dharma, one becomes 'view-attainment'; hence the distinction between the two. Question: Through the exhaustion of how many grades of afflictions are the four fruits established? Answer: It is necessary to exhaust the afflictions abandoned by seeing across the three realms to establish the first fruit. Abandoning the six grades of the desire [realm] establishes the second. If the nine grades of the desire realm are completely exhausted, the third is established. When seeing and cultivation across the three realms are completely exhausted, the fourth is established. Question: On what basis is 'seven returns' established? Answer: It is established in terms of karma; that is, on the basis of karma for seven rebirths, 'seven returns' is established. This is spoken in terms of the maximum; it is not that there are no rebirths of four, three, and so forth, for the number is not restricted. Question: On what basis is 'family-to-family' established? Answer: 'Family-to-family' is established in terms of births and in terms of afflictions. 'In terms of births' means two births or three births. 'In terms of afflictions' means: if one has severed three or four grades, and their antidotes leave two or three [grades], this is called 'family-to-family'. Question: Why is 'family-to-family' established only for three births and two births? Answer: When discussing karma, it is always moistened by afflictions. The meaning of moistening rebirth is briefly of two kinds: first, general; second, particular. 'General' means that the upper three grades moisten four births, the middle three grades together moisten two births, and the lower three grades together moisten one birth. 'Particular' means: within the initial three, the first grade moistens two births, and the next two grades each moisten one birth; the upper-middle grade moistens one birth, and the lower-middle two grades together moisten one birth; the latter lower three grades together moisten one birth. There is a variation herein: the first [of the lower] grade alone moistens half a birth, and the next two grades together moisten half a birth. In accordance with this principle, there is the meaning of reducing rebirths. If three grades are severed, there remain three births, which means that the karma for four births has been reduced, and three births remain. If four grades are severed, there are two births, because the fourth grade alone moistens one birth. If one were to establish 'family-to-family' on the basis of four births, there would be the fault of rebirth running upstream. Since severing three grades exhausts the karma for four births, one cannot establish it on the basis of four births. If four grades are severed, it reduces the karma of five births; and if one severs five grades, one will inevitably sever the sixth. Question: Why is it like this? Answer: Because of proximity to the fruit, there is no lingering delay. Question: Why is 'family-to-family' established only at three and four grades, and not on the basis of severing one or two grades? Answer: The strengths of the grades of afflictions are equal, and the noble paths are uniform. If two grades are severed, one inevitably severs the third, because they belong equally to the upper grade. Once one enters [the absorption] and severs them completely, there is no exiting contemplation. Question: If the upper three grades are severed together without emerging, then since the middle three grades are also uniform, should one also enter and sever them together? Question: On what basis is 'one interval' established? Answer: In the candidate for non-returner, when seven or eight grades are severed and there is only a single rebirth remaining, 'one interval' is established. Question: Where are the five kinds of parinirvāṇa established? Answer: They are established within [the fruit of] non-returner. Question: How many kinds of 'flowing upward' are there? Answer: There are three kinds: first, total leaping; second, half leaping; third, traversing all. 'Total leaping' has two types: first, the upward flow that delights in wisdom, which upon dying in the first dhyāna is born directly into the Five Pure Abodes—this is the total leaping that delights in wisdom; second, the total leaping that delights in samādhi, which upon dying in the first dhyāna is born into neither-conceptualization-nor-non-conceptualization. In both cases, dying in the first dhyāna, one terminates rebirth according to the respective stages. 'Traversing all' means being born in succession without skipping over intervals; this is called 'traversing all'. The remaining non-returners are as explained in the explanation of names. Question: Why is the arhat established? Answer: It is stated in contrast to the four fruits.